On July 23, Stephanie McMahon, Chief Brand Officer and on-screen commissioner of Monday Night Raw announced the first-ever WWE all women’s pay-per-view, WWE Evolution.
Set to take place on October 28 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, every woman’s title will be on the line. Additionally, there will be some veteran women’s wrestlers making a comeback and the finale of the Mae Young Classic will also take place.
With that, it’s important to understand the history of women’s wrestling, as well as popular women’s wrestlers in the WWE as its history dates all the way back to 1983.
Here, we’ll touch upon the important moments in history that led us to where we are today, WWE Evolution.
History and Popular Women’s Wrestlers
1983-1989
WWE women’s wrestling started back in 1983 when The Fabulous Moolah, came to the then-WWF and sold the rights to the NWA Women’s Championship to the company. Moolah had held the title for 27 years since defeating Judy Garble in 1956.
In that same year, the Women’s Tag Team Championships were introduced, and Velvet McIntyre and Princess Victoria — who, like Moolah, defected from the NWA — were named the inaugural champions.
In 1984, “Captain” Lou Albano and rock star Cyndi Lauper entered a feud known as the “Rock N Wrestling Connection” which ultimately culminated in a match with Moolah representing Albano and Wendi Richter for Lauper.
Richter won what became known as the “Brawl to End it All.” However, Richter’s reign would end in 1985 after losing to Leilani Kai at WrestleMania I.
Also in 1985 was a prominent storyline involving multiple women vying to acquire the services to be “Macho Man” Randy Savage’s manager. Savage revealed Miss Elizabeth won the competition. Her first prominent angle came in 1986 when Savage was feuding with George “The Animal” Steele after he fell in love with Elizabeth.
In 1987, Sherri Martel debuted and defeated Moolah, winning the Women’s Championship before losing 15 months later to Rockin Robin. In 1988, Mike McGuirk became the first-ever female ring announcer.
When 1989 rolled around, Savage turned on Hulk Hogan which led to Elizabeth leaving Savage to side with Hogan. From there, Martel started managing Savage. But 1989 didn’t stop there as the Women’s Tag Team Championships were deactivated with the Glamour Girls being the final holders.
Sapphire debuted as a fan cheering on Dusty Rhodes from the stands.
1990-1999
However, 1990 was the year in which the WWF started phasing the women out, including the Women’s Championship.
Sapphire would eventually leave mid-1990, Elizabeth took a leave of absence before returning in 1991 to be part of Savage’s retirement match against The Ultimate Warrior and Martel would leave in 1993.
Speaking of 1993, this would be the same year the Women’s Championship would return and Alundra Blayze would debut. Blayze would defeat Heidi Lee Morgan to be named the champion.
Kai would make her return in 1994 and Bull Nakano would come in to the company, where she would feud with Blayze who was already in a storyline with Vachon. This year also saw the debut of Sunny.
Blaze would then be released from the company in December of that year due to financial issues. The belt was again vacant again until 1998.
From 1996-1997, Terri Runnels, Marlena, Sable, Chyna, Debra and Jacqueline would debut.
In 1999, Tori, Ivory and Victoria would debut. On April 19, Sable referred to herself as a diva, birthing the term.
September 6 would be the first-ever women’s hardcore match with Ivory and Tori. On September 27, Moolah and Young would return. This would culminate in a match with the then 76-year-old Moolah topping Ivory for the Women’s Championship.
2000-2009
After the turn of the century in 2000, Lita, Trish Stratus and Molly Holly debuted. On March 30, McMahon defeated Jacqueline for the Women’s Championship after a number of years being an on-screen character.
In 2001, a storyline that is still discussed today took place in which Stratus and Vince McMahon became smitten with one another, following Linda McMahon — Vince’s wife — being kayfabe institutionalized.
Stephanie didn’t like this. She challenged and beat Stratus at No Way Out with help from William Regal. However, Stephanie, Vince and Regal were all in on the angle and Vince had Stratus come out to the ring, strip down and bark like a dog in the ring.
That spring, the WWF bought WCW and ECW. That year, Stacy Keibler, Torrie Wilson Jazz and Sharmell made their debuts. When 2002 came, Lita was involved with the film Dark Angel and suffered a neck injury and became the first female talent to get neck fusion surgery.
She was on the shelf for almost a year and a half. On May 5, the WWF became the WWE.
In June of 2002, Debra would leave the company with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Gail Kim would also become the first Korean Women’s Championship. Lita and Victoria would wrestle in the first-ever women’s Steel Cage Match on November 24.
During the mid-to-late portion of the year, Runnels, Jacqueline, Sable, Jazz and Kim departed from the company under mutual terms due to budget cuts. From April to July, Holly left and Ivory was released. Soon after, Holly left, Melina would debut.
Mickie James debuted in October as a Stratus fan and the two were eventually involved in a lesbian storyline. On May 8, Beth Phoenix would debut attacking James.
In the middle of 2006, Keibler left the company for acting, Stratus and Lita both retired. Wilson would retire mid-2008 due to back issues. Soon after, the Diva’s Championship was introduced.
Natalya and Michelle McCool would face off at the Great American Bash for the belt which McCool won. At One Night Stand, Phoenix and Melina would participate in the first-ever women’s I Quit match. In November, Kim would return.
2010-Current
Heading into the next decade, Phoenix would enter the Royal Rumble, only one of three women to ever do so (Chyna, Phoenix, Kharma). At Night of Champions, the Diva’s Championship and Women’s Championship were unified. McCool beat Melina for the new title.
In early August of that same year, Melina and Kim left the company. Later that year, Kelly Kelly and Phoenix both left the company. Torres soon followed in early 2013.
Renee Young would make her debut on commentary for NXT in September of 2013. On March 12, Lee and Natalya participated in a 14-minute match, the longest women’s match since 1987.
On April 7, Paige debuted, defeating Lee, becoming the youngest Diva’s Champion (21 years old). She held both the Diva’s Championship and NXT Women’s Championship.
The start of the women’s revolution came on February 23, 2015 when the Bella Twins and Paige and Emma faced off in a 30 second match. The hashtag “GiveDivasAChance soon followed on Twitter.
In May, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Sasha Bank debuted. On September 20, Charlotte would defeat Bella for the championship.
On the pre-show of WrestleMania 32, Lita, with the other women in the ring, unveiled a new Women’s Championship, making the Diva’s Championship defunct after eight years.
Charlotte, who won the new championship, was drafted to Raw, leaving Smackdown without a women’s championship until August 23 where a six-pack challenge for the championship. Lynch would win the title.
Earlier in August, Garcia departed. Charlotte and Banks competed in the first-ever women’s Hell In a Cell that year.
Starting off 2017, James would return to help Bliss retain the title against Lynch in a Steel Cage Match.
The first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match would happen that year, too, in which Carmella won.
However, James Ellsworth, Carmella’s manager retrieved the briefcase. The wrestling community erupted as a woman didn’t successfully retrieve the briefcase. As a result, there would be a rematch and Carmella would win again.
Asuka made her debut on October 22 at TLC against Emma. Emma was let go the next night.
On November 20 and 21, Paige would return, but came with Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville and the next night, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan (from NXT) debuted.
A month before the 2018 Royal Rumble, McMahon announced that the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match. Asuka would go on to win the match, before losing to Charlotte at Wrestlemania 34—her first loss in WWE.
After the Women’s Royal Rumble, Ronda Rousey made her WWE debut, bringing the WWE back into the mainstream.
February would mark the first-ever Women’s Elimination Chamber match and Bliss defended her title.
On April 9, Paige would retire from in-ring action following an injury inflicted by Sasha Banks at a house show. However, she reappeared the next night becoming the next Smackdown general manager.
All of this eventually led us to where we are now, with Evolution being announced. The WWE has had a long, winding history with its women and it will be exciting to see how it continues to unfold following Evolution.
WWE Evolution Card
Trish Stratus vs. Alexa Bliss
Lita vs. Mickie James
Currently, there are no odds available for these matches.
